PAULDING – You’ll have to look hard to find a 1967 Chevelle SS station wagon on the road today.
In fact, James Caris, 81, of Paulding may own the only one.
“The guy I bought it from cloned it. I guess you could call it a tribute car. Chevrolet didn’t make a Chevelle station wagon in 1967,” Caris explained.
He found his wagon five years ago at the Milan (Michigan) Dragway, of all places. Caris, who used to drag race at the track just south of Detroit, immediately took a shine to the car.
“I bought it at a nostalgia show they were having. It was in good shape, pretty much like you see it today,” he said.
If you raised children in the 1960s to mid-70s, a station wagon was like one of the family. It could hold eight passengers, depending on the model, and also doubled as an excellent utility vehicle. Many station wagons were known for the wooden side panels they sported, which was a tribute to the wagons of the early 1900s that transported people or goods from station to station, hence the name, “station wagon.”
By 1976, station wagons made up 10 percent of the car market, with just under 1 million of them on the road. They had their critics, though. Their handling was said to be like “driving a bath tub” and they chugged down gasoline faster than the town drunk could polish off a beer. The fuel standards put in place after the 1973-74 Arab Oil Crisis showed the station wagon the exit ramp. Mini vans and SUVs have taken their place.
Chevelle did come out with a station wagon in 1968. They were produced through the mid-70s.
“I had a station wagon when the kids were growing up,” Caris said. “It served its purpose.”
